A Writer From Tidwell

My name is Michelle this is not my story, this is a story about a boy from Roanoke...a writer from tidwell..a story that made the news. I have been following this story since mid March. A boy from Tidwell Middle School was being bullied...reports were made, but nothing was done. From what I gather the boy was placed in therapy. The bullying he endured was just too much for him to handle alone. I applaud his parents for taking the steps to ensure his emotional well being. The boys therapist told the boy to write about his feelings, to blog about it. The boy is apparently a creative writer and writes all the time according to his father. The boy began to write and write and write some more, he posted his stories for the world to see. Killing the Children is what he called it. In the stories he murders these children, he gives names of students, teachers, and a bus driver. The stories were read and met with a great deal of concern. What was a gruesome display of anger and outrage to those who had hurt him and failed him was not seen as a cry for help, but as a threat. The boy was charged for a crime and pulled out of school. He was evaluated for two weeks, the result of his evaluation was that he was not some murderous monster, but a hurt and deeply wounded child. One who chose to vent through his writing. The indictment against the boy was dropped and he was allowed to go back to school, only to be terrorized some more. Not only had the students bullied him, but now their parents bully him. Like a modern day scene from the Salem witch trials the parents go to the school with their signs like pitchforks protesting against the boy. Chanting to keep their children safe. There is even a girl that says her and her friend were a victim of his last year....good job little girl for mimicking a scene out of Salem Witch trials. The parents fear this boy, they believe he will become another Columbine, they believe he is a ticking time bomb waiting to happen with their precious bullies within reach of harms way. They must protect their bullies, they must make sure they do not get hurt. The parents of this boy should have rallied a protest against these bullies, the parents should have made signs asking the school to protect his son from these monsters, from their hatred. However that didn't happen, because it never does. Instead the bullies have become the victim and the victim has become the monster. The bullies planted a seed of hatred within a boy and that hatred grew with the hatred they placed there now they all run around in fear wondering why....why me....why was I named in his gruesome story? The parents shelter their children in fear, but never taught them to have empathy for others, for those who are different. The parents never taught their kids kindness towards others. They didn't teach them to stand up for those who could not defend themselves and now they are teaching them how to pretend to be the victim on their own mess.

I have been following this story for the past couple of weeks. My heart goes out to this boy, whoever he is. Shame on them for hurting you this way. I am sorry that people can be so mean. I am sorry they made you feel so bad. If I could I would hug you and tell you it will all be ok. We are not all like them, there are some of out here who will stand up for you!!! There are some of out here who will embrace you as you are and some of us that will applaud your creative gift of story telling. I did not know these parents were going to protest, I would have gladly called into work and protested as well, but against them with a sign that said stop the bullying!! Teach your children empathy!! I apologize for their ignorance, they fear what they do not understand, they fear what is different. Instead of trying to put themselves in your place to try and understand how you must feel about yourself...they lash out.

The parents of these bullies should be ashamed of themselves. Teach your children to respect their peers. To be kind and to have a heart. There are consequences to being mean and evil. God does not like ugly. Teach your children to have empathy please. Do not put more bullies into this world....we have enough thank you!!

Where ever this boy is, he is in pain....because see he endured bullying, he was humiliated, tortured and the ones who were supposed to protect him failed to do so. There is this theory that the bullied must step up against the bully and stick up for themselves. Give him a good punch in the nose. If this boy was a threat, he would have already done that. He obviously is not a person who will hurt someone. After being bullied he was charged for a crime, his story plastered on the news for all to see. He was taken out of school and placed under evaluation, his indictment was dropped and he was allowed to go back to school only to be met with the scorn of the bully's parents. I can not imagine what this boy is going through or what he feels inside, his father said that his son was a good student and would never hurt anyone. I believe his father because it is plain to see that his son was the one being hurt and continues to be hurt. No one will stand up for this boy. No one will protect him. I want to, but I don't know how to help this 14 year old writer from Roanoke who attends Tidwell Middle School.

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